Power tools and women

I recently stumbled across this great blog. Ana takes furniture you can order from places like Pottery Barn and Land of Nod and provides plans for them. She gives you a list of the supplies you will need and the cuts you will need to make. She gives great instruction for completing your projects. She seems to be very interested in empowing women to do their own construction projects.

My family made this bookcase for the new little baby we are expecting. My stepdad and brother in law made it and I painted it. It's a lovely shade of smurf blue that looks cute in the nursery. I really wanted to help since I don't know how to use a circular saw, but they did it while I was at work. I'm thinking of looking into classes at the trade school here, because there is a lack of patient teachers in my family. Honestly, I'm a little afraid of the saw and would like a safe environment to learn.

The whole project cost $83, but the wood cost about $50. Instead of the cheap pressed wood bookcase I was going to buy, I know have a sturdy real wood one that can be used for years to come. Of course Smurf blue might have to go, but that's not big deal! The Land of Nod version cost $350 plus shipping. See why I want to learn how to do it myself?!?

Does anything catch your eye? Anything you'd like to make?

Year of Savings

One of the best coupon resources from last year was the Proctor and Gamble Year of Saving book. P&G is doing it again this year. Just purchase $50 (before coupons) of any P&G products, mail in your receipts, along with a form, and they will send your coupon booklet with $100 of savings. You can find more information here. It's very easy to spend $50 on Proctor and Gamble items. Cover Girl, Head and Shoulders, Aussie, Ivory, Pantene, Secret, Crest, Oral-B, Venus, Pringles, Tampax, Bounce, Bounty, Dawn, Pampers are all Proctor and Gamble products. There is a complete list on the above website. Plus there are always tons of coupons for those brands. It will be super easy to come up with $50. If you shop at Target, they are starting to mark down the bonus size packages they have with the seasonal aisles. Pair those with some coupons and you'll have tons of stuff for your $50. I'm watching Pampers. 2 big boxes should do it. Your $50 doesn't have to be on one receipt, so pick up a few things here and there. Just be sure to save your receipts!